Refrigerator for automobiles and motor boats



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J. J. DUBUC O REFRIGERTOR FOR AUTOMOBILES AND MOTOR BOATS Filed Jan. 29, 3,945

l l I fil l i I Patented Nov. 28, 1950 REFRIGERATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES `AND MOTOR BOATS' Y' Jerome J. Dubuc, Burlington, Vt.

Application January 29, 1946, Serial No. 644,020

This invention relates to an electrical refrigerator for automobiles and motor boats, and one of its objects is to provide a refrigerator which can be operated from the siX or twelve volt electrical system of the automobile or motor boat, to keep small quantities of luncheon food, fresh caught fish or small game animals, and beverages at a loW temperature, without imposing an excessive burden on the storage batteries and current generator of the system.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain new and useful constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specication, and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Fig. 1 is a front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken on line 3--3 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of an instrument board, broken away, to illustrate one form of installation of the improved refrigerator.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a circuit layout.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the practical embodiment of the invention, 5 designates a metal back wall and 6 a front metal frame, which is connected to the inner metal compartment forming body l, by the iiange 8. A body wall S is connected by its front and rear flanges l and l E, respectively, to the front metal frame and to the back wall 5.

Within the body 1, which is in the nature of an interior box-like structure, a back wall I2 is secured to the rear flanges i3 4of the body l. A shelf I4 is mounted on the side walls la and lb of the body l, and on this shelf a freezing cabinet or case l5 is provided. A tray holding slide or y drawer i6 is arranged to move into and out of the cabinet or case i5.

- Between the inner back wall l2 and the outer -back wall 5, a refrigerating compressor Il is mounted, and this compressor is operated by means .of the electrical motor i8, through the flexible `belt drive l. This electrical motor is of the six volt or twelve Volt type, and is designed to voperate from the same electrical current sup i ply system yas the starter and ignition of the au- 1 Claim. (Cl. 62-116) and an additional freezer coil 2| may be provided in the insulation 22, at the bottom of the interior body 1. Suitable insulation 23 is arranged between the sides of the body 1 and the sides of the outer case of therefrigerator.

A door 24 is secured by the hinges 25 to the front frame E, and is provided with a hand operated latch 26 to engage the keeper 21, which is attached to one side of the frame 6. A temperature regulator 28 is attached to the lower fr-ont side of the frame 6.

The entire cabinet or refrigerator lis attached to the instrument board of the automobile or motor boat, or installed in any other suitable position, so that it will occupy little space and will always be within easy access. It may also be installed in any other suitable position in the automobile or motor boat.

The electrical motor I8 is automatically controlled by means of the thermostat 29, so that it operates only intermittently, and will not be a constant drain on the current supply system of the automobile or motor boat. The refrigerator may be installed in the rear end of the automobile, under the trunk compartment hood.

'Ihe refrigerator may be constructed in any required shape. It is to be constructed with a reduced capacity of one or one and one-half cubic feet. It may also be installed directly under the panel which carries the instrument board. It will provide a greatly needed service for automobile or road trailers. It is thought that the temperature condition to be established and maintained in the refrigerator should be about forty degrees, but a higher or lower temperature setting may be provided, if required.

It is understood that various changes in the details of construction, the means for control and installation, may be made, within the limits of the invention, as defined by the claim hereof.

Having described the invention, I claim as new:

A refrigerator adapted for use in small spaces comprising an outer and an inner compartment, said outer compartment having a rear wall, top, bottom and two side walls, the latter four walls having flanges at their front and rear ends, said rear flanges being adapted for connection with the rear wall, said inner compartment having a rear wall disposed at a predetermined distance and parallel to said rear wall of the outer compartment and top, bottom and two side walls, the latter four walls having at their front an upwardly ment flange and at their rear an inwardly bent ange, the outwardly bent ange of the last mentioned four walls engaging the front flanges of the first stated four walls, insulation means disposed between the said respective four walls 5 of the inner and outer compartment and an insulation layer outside of the rear Wall of the inner compartment, a liquifying unit disposed between the outer and inner rear wall, an insulated door closing the iront opening of the inner compartment, a food compartment disposed in said inner compartmentandla cooling Aunit extending from the liquifying lunit into said food compartment and an additional cooling coil disposed within the insulation between the Walls of the inner i5 @Number and outer compartment.

JEROME J. DUBUC.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,926,767 Furniss Sept. 12, 1933 1,932,696 Heydthausen Oct. 31, 1933 1,938,141 Goldkind Dec. 5, 1933 2,148,109 Dana Feb. 21, 1939 2,287,404 Zeri: June 23, 1942 `12,338,284 )Hainsworth Jan. 4, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date .141,080 ,France Feb. 6, 1933 

